NAME
uuencode - format of an encoded uuencode file

DESCRIPTION
Files output by uuencode(1) consist of a header line, followed by a
number of body lines, and a trailer line. Uudecode (see
uuencode(1)) will ignore any lines preceding the header or
following the trailer. Lines preceding a header must not, of
course, look like a header.

The header line is distinguished by having the first 6 characters
"begin ". The word begin is followed by a mode (in octal), and a
string which names the remote file. A space separates the three
items in the header line.

The body consists of a number of lines, each at most 62 characters
long (including the trailing newline). These consist of a
character count, followed by encoded characters, followed by a
newline. The character count is a single printing character, and
represents an integer, the number of bytes the rest of the line
represents. Such integers are always in the range from 0 to 63 and
can be determined by subtracting the character space (octal 40)
from the character.

Groups of 3 bytes are stored in 4 characters, 6 bits per character.
All are offset by a space to make the characters printing. The
last line may be shorter than the normal 45 bytes. If the size is
not a multiple of 3, this fact can be determined by the value of
the count on the last line. Extra garbage will be included to make
the character count a multiple of 4. The body is terminated by a
line with a count of zero. This line consists of one ASCII space.

The trailer line consists of "end" on a line by itself.

SEE ALSO
uuencode(1), uusend(1), uucp(1), mail(1)